Guest column: A new day, a renewed will for California
As a native Californian, I have seen so many eras throughout the years where others found the need to bash our extremely gifted and blessed state. Whether their points are correct, or perspectives skewed or inflated, the actual achievements have outweighed the worst reports from those predicting mayhem and abandonment and dark days ahead.
Through the 1960s California was seen as a liberal bastion for those that didn’t fit in anywhere else; in the ’70s it was the sprawl of subdivisions for as far as the eyes can see; in the ’80s it was the ABC (anywhere but California) laws introduced by states that felt California was already too endeared with fortune. The ’90s and early 2000s were periods of regulations and controls to manage the consequences of decades of fast growth, and the subsequent ever-increasing costs to live here.
Through economic ups and downs, the continued advancement in technology, transportation, as well as growth of the worldwide global economy we were often confronted with propositions on our ballots, some seemingly knee-jerk reactions to current trends, that provided an ebb and flow of continued progressive and conservative policy but all with consequences.
As we waded through these decades of unrelenting and ever-accelerating changes and challenges, we still managed to create a state that continued to be a beacon for people around the world as the last frontier; a place all are welcomed and where one can still dare to dream and strive to reach new goals, truly embracing the American ideals where anything is possible and a new life can be found where it couldn’t from whence you came.
Despite all the naysayers predictions, and policy/challenges stacked against our state by others, we became arguably the fourth or fifth largest economy in the world, pioneered water and transportation, and higher educational infrastructure unparalleled in the world, produced 50% to 60% of the fruit, nuts and vegetables for our nation, and when you think of all the technological advancements in the last 50 to 60 years, whether aerospace, computers, communications and many generations now of technology advancements that have completely changed the trajectory of humanity throughout the world, many of these had their roots in this golden state.
California’s natural beauty, diverse geography from mountains, to valleys, deserts, and coastlines, and near perfect weather were only added benefits that came with a culture of inclusion and diversity; a state of creativity, innovation and dreaming that really allowed us to overcome the challenges of each era.
Today, we are faced with many challenges, some that were caused by years of policies that had unintentional consequences. The imbalance and shortage of housing, well-intended restrictions and processes that added immense cost to create, and shortsighted decisions on how we provide services for those in need have become the largest problem to solve.
Other challenges worth noting here are effective and ease to use mass transit throughout the state and in every community, sustainable water supplies that balance quality of life and greening that will sequester carbon as one answer to climate change while we transition to renewable energy sources, improving our urban interface with open space and with our coastlines that at least give us a fighting chance for fires to be managed, flooding to be controlled and our natural environment to be restored and balanced with urban needs.
I hope we can use our ingenuity to organize an effort to put the shine back on our state by each of us doing the simplest things — picking up trash, caring for our properties and neighborhoods, supporting our local businesses, working with community councils, churches or organizations to do local projects and helping to identify needs and solutions, and insisting that all government entities work hand in hand to find the best solutions.
Yes, today’s challenges can seem to be overwhelming and have dire consequences which is why it is so important that we have the skills as leaders to have open minds about possible options, and to make prudent, well thought-out, and often courageous decisions. We cannot afford more of the same and expecting different results. We are living in times of great consequence and perceived great divisions, but we owe it to each other and the future generations to strive to offer a safe place for all ideas and opinions, a place of decorum, respect and a time to rebuild trust in each other while we cautiously set policies and redirect efforts where needed.
I believe Ventura County embodies the essence of the best of California and the city of Ventura, as one of California’s oldest cities, can very well become a model of how we preserve and enhance what we love about this original city while we grow and offer a more prosperous future for everyone in our community. Let’s focus on our goals and work together to efficiently achieve results while we continue to be the best we can be and help others be their best as we each contribute our individual uniqueness to our community.
Yes, even California is not perfect, and we have serious issues to address efficiently, fairly, and timely. Let’s all focus on what Californians have been known to do best — solving challenges and using our dreams and innovation to offer the exciting opportunities for a better world.
Doug Halter is a member of the Ventura City Council.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Guest column: A new day, a renewed will for California
